Time-switch.



C. E. CAMPBELL. TIME SWITCH.

APPLIGATION HLED p01'. s1, 190s.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

o. E. CAMPBELL.

TIME SWITCH.

APPLOATION EILED (1071.31, 1908.

Patented Feb.14,911`

2 SHEET S-SHEET 2.

GES.

CHARLES CAMPBELL, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

' TIME-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

Application filed. October 31, 1908. Serial No. 460,399.,

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it Vknown that I, CII-munies EJCAii'rr- BELL, Va. citizen .of theUnited States, residing in Lynn, in the county of Essex and A'State ofMassachusetts, have Ainvented an Improvement in 'lliineJSwitches7 oi?-Vwhich the following description, iii connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specificai tion, like let-ters on' the drawingsrepresenting like parts. y

rllie present invention relates to a time switch, the purpose of theinventionbeing to arrange the mechanism so that a powerful switch,capable of controlling heavy .turrents can be accurately operated by adelicate clock-work mechanism, without theA expenditure of sufficientthe-operation of the clock;

In controlling heavy currentsjit is necessary to employ -a switch havinglarge con Vtact surfaces, and the so-called knife blade switch has beenfound to be the most prac-' ticable for thispurpose. In a knife blade'switcln however, the Contact portions are of 425 llarge area, and thefrictional resistance to the opening and closingof thel switch is` solarge that it' requires considerable power to operate the switcheifentually. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a wide openingV and arapid movement in opening the switch so as to prevent the formation of,an

` arc, and consequent destruction 'of the contirets. lt is necessary,therefore, if such a switch isto be controlled by clock work mechanism,to employ intermediate actuat- 4ingdevices which' can be controlled bythe expenditure of Very slight the'saiuc time, are capable "oexertingsi- .cient power to operate -theswitcln In aoeordance 'with' theinventiomjtherefore, fthe' movable iiienihei of tlieswit'cli is providedwith a powerful spring so arranged as to be neutral when tlielswitclimember is substantially ialf way between its 4open rand closed position,and to be placed under tension when tvlieswitch is fully closed orlfully` open. -lii either position," therefore,l the spring has atendency to act, and, if the'4 switch is released, the movable memberlwill bevgiveii an'impulse by the spring which tendto carry the sainepast the 'neutral i position andv to pla-nf the spring und ten sioaagainl in the opposite directioi In l order that this expedient may beutilized in connection with a tripping device, the movmeiiibc power todisturbower, and, at,

il of `the sivitcli is connected by 7,1nieiiiber o `to the switch thatthe link or pitman will be approximately iii line with the axis of therotating member audits point of connection with the switch memberwhen-the switch is either open orY closed; substantially half arevolution ofthe rotating member constituting a suficientinovement tocarry the switch member from one eX- treme to the other. The rotatingmember', which requires a comparatively small amount ofpowe'r to thi-0Wthe pitinan off the line and permit the main actuatin spring to comeinto play, is provided Witi a light spring or equivalent motor, .and isheld against the `action of said spring by means ofa stop which isarranged to be acted upon by a movable tripping member directlyconnected with the clock work mechanism which affords thev timingelement. By this expedient, a very slight -4 further feature of: theinvention con-A sists in a novelv construction'of the tripping memberwhich is carried by the time eley nient or clock Work' whereby the saidtrip- .ping' member is automatically held Vagainst backward Ymovement,Valthough capable of forward Ainoveinentfor the purpose of setting theinstruii'ient to operate .attlie time desired. .1

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a, time `switch embodying the.invention; Fig. 2-is esY a section, partly iii-elevation, taken 'on lineab? of'Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a perspective View' of jolie. of the trippingmembers carried by the clock mechanism; and* Fig. 4 is a front ele--vation, partly in section, showing a modification in. which the switchis submerged in oil.

The switch, which is designed to control currents of high voltage, isshownias of the .so-called laufe-blade type, and is pro- :vided wiltli apivotally supported yblade with a spring socket b, the blade enteringbctween the sides of the socket so as to aiforda large contact surfaceto conduct the current through the circuit indicated by the conductors land 25; for example, a lighting circuit for a store. In order to openand close a switch of this type, a relatively powerful actuating deviceisnecessary in order to overcome the friction between the two members orthe switch, and if the switch is to be controlled by delicate mechanism,such as clock-.work of the ordinary kind, it is necessary to arrange theclock so that the clock work can be employed to set amore powerfulactuating device in operation, without itself performing the necessaryWork. It is further essential tohave a large range of ymovement ofthemovable member or' the switch in order to separate the contacts'by awide gap, and prevent the formation of an are during the opening of theswitch. To these ends, the switch is providedy primarily with anactuating spring e 'having sufiicient strength to overcome therictional'engagement between the switch members' a ando, and to start arapid 'movement o f the -movable member -which will be continued bymomentum after the spring has ceased to act. This spring is arranged tobe double acting, thatis to say, 'substani tially neutral in an'intermediate position,

and placed under stress when the movable -member a is in either extremeposition. -For the purpose of starting theoperation of the spring c, themember' 'a is connected with a ,traveling member d herein shown as 'a'Iotating disk' arranged to .be operated by means of a s rino d2 and thesaid disk is' connected by means of a pitinan e with the switch membera. The relation of the parts is such that a half rotation of the memberd acting through the pitman'e -will carry the movable member a of theswitch from its closed to its open position, as indicated in full anddotted lines, Fig. '1, and the member d is so controlled as to bestopped in one-or the other of the positions shown,

- in each case the pitman ev being substanpull orpushilpon therpitmane,-so vthat the tially in line with the axis of the member In each case,furthermore, the spring c 1s under tension, butv is resisted by thevdirect said spring has no tendency to turn the member d, but, von 'thecontrary, is held thereby. A slight rotary movement of the member d,however, will throw the pitmane out of line, and as soon as the pitmancrosses the axis of the member d, it is obvious that. the spring c isfree vto act and will give a;

strong impulse to .the switch member a, tending to throw the same fromone position to the other. As the spring 0 crosses its neutralposition.- fnrthermore, and begins to be pnt under tension. the4 pitmanis approaching the line between the axis ofthe member d-and the pivotalconnection with the member a, so that a very slight impulse imparted tothe disk cl will, in this case, be largely multiplied in its effect uponthe switch member a. 1n other words, at this point in the operation, thedisk CZ and pitman e are in the nature of a toggle joint, so that, 4atthe end or' the movement' when the spring c is being put under heavytension, a small amount of power applied to the disk d will serve tofinish the operation.

vThe spring (Z2, therefore, with which the disk d is provided, is shownas a coil spring adaptedto be wound, 'from vtime lto time, and does notrequire a great amount ot power, and the said disk may be held in'position against the action or' the spring cl2 by a tri )ping devicewhich can be easily operateh. i

faces d* and d5 at opposite ends7 one or the other of said surfacesnormally' lying incontact with a stop f2 on a rocker f which is adaptedto be' acted upon by tripping members g and g?, which are arranged totravel contimr ously in conjunction with aclockidial g3. The. pivotalsupport f3 of the member f is so located that, in the rocking movementof the member f, produced by the action ofthe members g and g2, .itwill'carry the stop f2 in a line substantially radial to the axisof thedisk d, so that substantially' no compression of the spring d2 isrequired prior to the release of the member d3.

At each operation, it is necessary that the disk d should make onlyahalf revolution, that is to say, a movement suiicient to either open orclose In theconstructi'on shown, the disk (i is provided with an arm Z3having engaging suru the switch according to the position in which theswitch is when the movement takes place. For 'this purpose, the'member fis provided with a secondary stop 'f so locatedas ,toA

come into the path of the member d3 just after the stop f2 hasreleasedthe said'mem-` ber, but prior tothe release of thememler f'by thetripping hand g.v As the hand g travels, therefore,

the memberal3 is first rei leased from the stop fl and then arrested bythe stop P, after which the member f is released by the `tripping member'g and restored by means of its4 spring f5, so that the engaging`surface d* will be released in the return movement -of the member f andthe engaging surface (Z5 caught by the projection f2 at the end of halfa revolution of the disk al. 'Ihe dial g3 is shown' as calibrated torepresent hours' and quarter hours, there being twenty-four maindivisions, the clock work being-so arranged that the dia-l will l'uakeone revolution yfor each 'twenty-tour lunirs.

The actu'a. l time vis'indicated .by means of" a handand the time foroperating the switch is determined by the position of the tripping handsy and g2. Taking, for exlill) ample, the control of a lighting circuit,where it is desiredv to have the lights in op-` eration from hall pastlive to eleven, and automatically turned on and extinguished, thetripping member y2 may be set, as indicated on the dial, betweennumerals 5 and while the tripping hand g is set opposite i'inmeral 1l.Ae shown in the drawing, the dial indicates the time' as nine-thirty,and the tripping hai-cl g, which is set to operate at eleven oclock, isjust eomingjn contact with the tripping lever f'. During the travel ofthe dial. through a space indicated by cali brations showing one hourland a half, the lever f' will have been rocked on its pivot andreleased by the tripping hand g, thus causing a halt' rot-ation ot thedisk CZ, ae previously described, and throwingthe switch member a from.the closed position shown in full. linee to the open posit-ion shown indotted lines. The Switch will then remain open. until the tripping handgi reaches the lever f, and correspondingly trips the same toproduce amovement of the switch in the opposite direction.

The disk (l is connected by keys al with an extensiony d? from a springdruml als which 'contains the spring (Z2, the .said extension bearing inthe front frame plate 9, the winding 'shaft alle extending through. thedrinn d, and bearing at the opposite end in the back frame plate d. Oneend of the spring d2 is connected with the Winding spindle which isprovided in the usual way with a ratchet (Z13 acted on by a pawl ilpivoted on the frame plate all".

ln order to cushion the shock when the vrotation of the disk is arrestedby the stops on the lever f, the arm da lsshown as loosely supported onthe hub of the disk al where it is held by a collar all, and the ends ofsaid 'arm bear against plungers all in sockets all? containing spiralsprings. In order to prevent the arm `from leaving the ends of theplnngers and allowing them to fall from the sockets, a stop d isemployed, against which the other side of the arm bears.

lt is essential that the tripping hande g and g2 which are carried bythe clock dial, should be' prevented v-irom slipping bak, since theyactnpon the tripping member f in the forward movement, and 'it is alsoneeeesary that ,theyV should be easily movable .t'or the purpose ofsetting the switch for operation atdierent times.- In order to se' curethe hands against backward movement., the said hands are constructed neshown in Fig. f-l, being provided with an annular hnb portion y* whichsurrounds :i boss 'formed on the face of the clock dial, the two handsbeing separated by a washer g5., and held. in

Yplace hy a washerg. These washers serve to retain the hands, but do notbear 'against them with sufficient friction to prevent the loin-ardmovement ncceseai'y .to set them.

The annular'portion y* is clit, as indicated at gl, the clit beinginclined in direction, as shown, so that the divided parts 'will beforced together by any resistance to the backward movement of the hand,thus causing the aiinnlar part to bind on the hub. The forward movementlof the hand tends .to sepai'atetlie two parts, and to enlarge the can'be Shown in Fig. 1,' extending downward,

through an opening of the casing into 4theoil tank,l The switchmechanism, which is .not shown in -F ig. 4, may be identical with .thatpreviously described,` the pitinan el", however, being somewhat longerin order to provide for the lower position of the switch. The tank m isshown as provided with plugs m2 and m3 for putting in and drawing oit'the oil respectively.-

Claims:

l. In a time switch, the combination with a' clock movement providedwith a traveling calibrated dial; of a pointer stationary with relationthereto to indicate the time, a tripping member mounted on. and, carriedby said dial; a switch member provided with a main operating springarranged to be under tension when the. switch member is in eitherextreme position; 'a rotating member con- .nected by means of a pitmanwith said switch member, said pitman being so proportioned as to be inline with the axis ofA said rotating member when the Switch is in eitherof its extrime posit-ions; a secondary spring adapted,l to canse saidmember to rotate and thereby move said pitnian out of line with 'theaxis of said rotating member to permit the operation of the mainoperating,r spring," and a "stop for said member adapted to lie-tripped`by the eloclcworlc nliecl'ianisin, siibstantially as described. Y

2; The combination with a knife blade switch; of a stiff springconnected with the blade member, said spring being under tension whenthe blade member is in either its open or its closed position; a springactuatednrotating meinberconnected by a pit-- man with .said switchmember said pitinan when the. switch is open or closed being in linewith the axis ot said rotating member; a pivotally supported stop memberto hold said rotating member stationary against the operation .of itsspring; a clock dial pro` vided with two adjustable hands adapted to Liotrip said stop member successively, and a time indicator stationary withrelation to said clock dial. 4

3. In a time switch, the combination with. the switch; of a spring foroperating the same; a tripping device to control the operation of saidspring; a clock dial; and a hand mounted on said clock dial to actu'atesaid tripping device in the travel of the dial, said hand having anannular portion having a diagonal out therein, substantially as and lforthe purpose described.'

4:. The combination with a. clock dialv pro` vided with a trippinghand;'of a pivotally sl'lpported tripping member adapted tol be operatedupon by said hand; a rotating member provided with a spring; saidrotating member being caused to make half a revolution through theoperation of the tripping. device; a disk having a cushioned connectionwith said rotating member; a pitman connected with said disk; av knifeblade switch member connected with said pitman and a spring connectedwith said'swi'lzeh member and adapted to be under tension when saidmember is in either oi. its extreme positions, substantially as and forthe purpose described. i

5I In a time switch, the combination with a -knife blade switch; of areceptacle for oil in which said switch is contained; clock Workmechanism' carrying a tripping device; a. rotary actuating membercontrolled by said tripping' device; a pitman connecting said actuatingmember with thev movable switch member; and a spring connected with saidswitch member and 'arranged tov be the combination with of a receptaclefor oil yin. Which said switch vis contained; a spring connected withsaid switch and arranged to be under tension when said switch member isin either its open. or its closed position; clock work'mechanisn'icarrying atripping device; Ineans for setting said tripping de vice tooperate at any desired time; a springactuatedI rotary member adan'ed tobereleased by said tripping device and permitted to make halfrevolution; and a pitman connecting said rotary member with the blade ofthe switch.

7. In a time switch, the combination withA :i pivota'liy supported knifeblade switch member; member; said spring` being under tension'exceptwhen the switch member is in. an intermediate position; a rotary member'connected by a link or pitman with said switch member; a second springacting on said rotary member; a tripping device controlling said rotarymember and arranged to permit a half revolution thereof;'a clock dial;and adjustable tripping hands carried by said dial to cooperate withsaid tripping device.' In testimony whereof, I have signed my ot aspring connected with. said name to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses CHARLES E. Writnesses:

M. E. CovENn-Y, Jes. J MALonnY.

CAMPBELL;

